Name Change and L&C League Membership

The club got moving again after the war due to sterling fund raising efforts and the support of the local merchants and shopkeepers. Mr. J C (Johnny) Edwards was a driving force and secretary. He was to become the first West Didsbury man to be given the League Presidency in 1948. The club joined the Lancashire & Cheshire League for the 1920/21 season and have been members ever since.

The league's rule that all clubs must be self financing and not sponsored meant that the club changed its name to West Didsbury A.F.C. The club became a full member of the Lancashire Football Association. Their home was the Christie playing field, Barlow Moor Road, where the Princess Parkway is today.

1920s: The club was placed in Divisions 1 & A and stayed in the top flight for 25 seaseons. The first team were double runners up in league & Rhodes Cup in 1922/23, the second team runners up in division A in the club's maiden season. In 1923/24 the club also finished runners up in the new Aggregate Trophy - awarded to the club with the highest combined points total for the two teams. West Didsbury won the Aggregate Trophy the following season.
The club were winners again in 1927, lifting the Rhodes Cup by beating Davenport 2-1 in the final. The Aggregate Trophy was won for the second time the following season after beating South Trafford 4-1 in a play off. The seconds won the new Subsidiary Cup the same season, beating Royton 3-0 in a replayed Final.

1930s: The first team finished runners up in 1931/32 for the fourth time and was to be the last time the club won honours in the top division. The second team lost in the final of the Subsidiary Cup the same season, 6-5 to Heald Green.
It was third time unlucky for West Didsbury as they were beaten in the final of thr Rhodes Cup by South Trafford, who won the cup for six consecutive years - a feat unequalled. The seconds did win the Subsidiary (Wray) Cup again, when they defeated South Manchester 4-1 in 1939.

Post War - 1960s: The Club set up a Comforts Fund for members serving in the Second World War (1939-45) and resumed league fixtures in the 1946/47 season. The second team won the Wray Cup for the third time, defeating East Chorlton 2-0 in the Final.
The first team succumbed to relegation in 1952, losing a play-off 3-1 to Rusholme, but bounced back as second division runners up the following season.
The first team were relegated again in 1959/60 and had to wait six years to regain top flight status. Indeed, relagation to the third division was narrowly avoided in 1963/64.
The second team won Division B in 1964/65, beating Bramhall 3-1 in a play-off, but they couldn't be promoted because the first team wasn't promoted, a rule only changed in the late 1970's. This disappointment was overcome the following season when the first team finished runners up and were back in the top flight.

The ups & downs of the first team in this decade were encapsulated in the side again being relegated in1968/59 but the following season winning the Rhodes Cup for only the secon time. West Didsbury were very much the underdogs, finishing ninth in division two. They faced a Monton Amatuers side that had dominated the league for a number of years, yet against the odds West Didsbury equalised twice and scored the winner in extra time for a famous 3-2 victory. Current Chairman Brian Cripps skippered the side that day and received the trophy in near darkness.
                          Pictured below the Rhodes Cup Winning Team 1970